Noam on the Move

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with Gary Thomas, the former President and Executive Director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Gary discusses his motivation and connection to the transportation industry. Gary and Noam talk about the immense impact of COVID-19 on transit ridership and the potential funding sources needed to keep it alive. They discuss mobile apps, multi-modal transportation, and public-private partnerships. Finally they forecast the future of the industry and the opportunities rapidly changing technology presents.

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with Joanna M. Pinkerton, the President and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority. Noam asks Joanna what brought her into the transportation space. The two discuss the needs of transit riders in rural communities. Noam asks Joanna why Columbus has become so notorious for its transportation and innovation. The two discuss the low percentage of women in leadership roles, why that may be the case, and how we can all help to improve it. Finally, the two look to the future to discuss what is on the horizon of innovation in transportation. Prior to joining COTA, Joanna spent more than 20 years in the engineering and transportation industries. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in addressing certain challenges in the mobility industry such as equity and deploying new technology. Joanna serves in the Board of Directors for ITS America and the Transportation Research Center, Inc. (TRC). She served as a co-chair of the American Public Transportation Association Mobility Recovery & Restoration Task Force and the DriveOhio Government Advisory Board.

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with Roger Millar, the Secretary of Transportation for the Washington State Department of Transportation. Roger discusses his upbringing in Europe and Panama and how it shaped his view on transportation. He shares his background in environmental engineering, land use, and conservation, prior to being appointed to the Secretary position by Gov. Jay Inslee. Noam and Roger speak about sustainable transportation projects in the state of Washington and contemplate the differences and similarities between urban and rural communities. Finally they look to the future, to consider possible transportation innovations on the horizon. Prior to WashDOT, Roger served as an experienced land use and transportation engineer, planner, and program manager with an international reputation for innovative approaches to conservation and development. Roger chairs the AASHTO Council on Public Transportation, the Western Road Usage Charge Consortium, the Mobility on Demand Alliance, and the Cooperative Automated Transportation Coalition. 

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with the Director of Automotive Practice at Strategy Analytics, Roger Lanctot. Having over thirty years of experience as an analyst, journalist, and consultant, Roger has a powerful voice in the realm of transportation technology. Roger discusses an experience in Porto Alegre, Brazil where buses seem more commonplace and accessible than here in the states. He shares his stance on transportation issues, data monetization, and the developing nature of autonomous vehicle operations. Finally, he and Noam discuss the next big thing that will transform the transportation industry.

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with Ben Volkow, the Co-Founder and CEO of Otonomo. Otonomo is a car data services platform for mobility and city solutions. Ben and Noam discuss the perceived future of life after the COVID-19 pandemic, the genesis of Otonomo, and obstacles in widespread adoption of a connected service marketplace. Ben mentions interesting potential use-cases for applying connected car data. Finally the two discuss data privacy and the culture around Israeli-based companies. Prior to founding Otonomo in 2015, Ben served for four years as a Business Unit General Manager at F5 Networks, which he joined after the acquisition of Traffix, where he was Co-Founder and as CEO.

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with the President and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) Shailen Bhatt. Shailen divulges what sparked his interest in the transportation and mobility industry, and the two discuss  how new engineering technologies in vehicles are improving safety through avoiding human error. Shailen mentions how success can be managed between public and private entities and defines the 5.9 GHz band for safety messaging between vehicles and the progress in automation. Finally Shailen looks at what he would do with an endless checkbook to improve the entire transportation network.Prior to ITS America, Shailen worked as the Executive Director for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and as the Cabinet Secretary for the Delaware Department of Transportation and was also a presidential appointee at the U.S. Department of Transit's a portation.

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with Bobby Lewis about trends in driving habits, crash severity, and the transportation workforce. Bobby discusses how technology and data will transform the transportation network through use-cases like accident reconstruction and improved road design. Finally, the two talk about sustainable models of funding for transportation.Bobby Lewis is a registered Professional Engineer who worked as the Chief Operating Officer at the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDoT) for over 25 years. He recently joined HNTB Corporation as Vice President, National Practice Consultant, in the firm’s new national Advisory practice.

On this episode of “Noam on the Move,” host Noam Maital speaks with Vince Valdes about urbanism, the history of the transit system, and the future of transportation and autonomous vehicles. Vince is the former Associate Administrator for Research, Innovation and Demonstration at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and current Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC).